vin-

(Latin: force)

Ad vindictam tardus, ad beneficientiam velox. (Latin motto)

Translation: "Punish slowly, do good quickly."

Motto of Henry I (918-936) who forced the dukes of Bavaria and Swabia to recognize his authority. He protected Saxony against the Slavs by building several fortresses and by creating a powerful cavalry which he used to defeat the invading Magyars on the Unstrut River in 933.

King Henry succeeded in annexing the key Carolingian realm of Lorraine to the east Franconian realm. He is regarded as the actual founder of the German Empire.

1. To clear someone or something of blame, guilt, suspicion, or doubt: The confession of the real criminal immediately vindicated Jasper who the police had held for questioning about the break-in of the local jewelry store.
2. To show that someone or something is justified or correct: Marilyn checked with a dictionary resource to vindicate the unusual spelling of a word in her essay.
3. To clear from censure, criticism, suspicion, or doubt, by means of demonstration; to justify or uphold by evidence or argument: The new evidence that was presented in the criminal trial immediately vindicated the defense lawyer's position that her client was innocent.
4. To assert, to maintain, to make good, by means of action; especially, in one's own interest; to defend against encroachment or interference: The doctor's prognosis of the severity of the patient's illness was vindicated by a specialist.
5. Etymology: back formation from vim dictam accusative form of vis dicta, literally "announced force"; that is, "announcement of force".

From "to avenge" or "to revenge", from Latin vindicatus, the past participle form of vindicare, "to set free, to lay claim to, to assert, to avenge" which came from vim, accusative of vis, "force" + the root of dicere, "to say".

1. The act of defending against being blamed for or suspicion of doing something wrong: The vindication of the doctor for his unusual medical treatment was supported by the patient's miraculous recovery.
2. An action or circumstance which is proven to be reasonable or justified: Karl's decision to complete his computer programming at the university was a vindication that prepared him for his successful technical career.

1. Someone who argues to defend or to justify some policy or institution: Henry was a vindicator for telling the truth and being an honest politician.
2. Those who proclaim justification for certain actions or policies: The vindicators maintained that the violent back ground of the suspect justified the use of force by the police.

Relating to something; such as, facts or an argument that justifies a belief, a conclusion, or an action: Mike's vindicatory decision to continue with his project was well received by his superiors at the automobile company.

1. A reference to doing something with a desire for vengeance: Driving his car over the newly planted garden next door was really the most vindictive thing Sam could do in response to his neighbor's criticism about making so much noise last night.

2. Relating to showing or doing something with a desire to hurt another person: The more angry Rose became, the more vindictive she was in terms of planning her revenge for the insults that her co-worker made about her incompetence.

3. In law, used to describe damages awarded by a court that are set higher than the amount necessary to compensate the victim, in order to punish the defendant: The judge exercised a vindictive judgment in ordering the accused to pay the court costs of the trial as a lesson not to attempt to exploit the legal system again.

A spiteful situation that is marked by or which results from a desire to hurt another person or other individuals: Karen's husband showed a vindictiveness towards her during the divorce proceedings because of her accusations that he was unfaithful, which he strongly denied.

1. A reprisal or retaliation against someone who is considered to have done a harmful thing to another person: Maxine was considering a vindictivolence, or repayment, for a neighbor who threw rocks onto her lawn; however, her religious beliefs made her reconsider any such action and so she gathered the stones and put them in a corner of her backyard.
2. Etymology: from Latin vindicta, "avenge, vengeance (punishment inflicted)" + volent, "wishing".

Although the following cartoon is about an adjective vindictive, it also illustrates the meaning of the noun vindictivolence!